Reflected Nightmare
by Divine Champion
Summary: *Inspired by "The Nightmare of Aika"* Mayor Kosei, Kenshin, and Mel are invited to the town of Mira to help the mayor. Then, they realize that something is wrong with the town the moment the sun sets. Now, it is up to them to solve the mystery and the tragedy the town is hiding from everyone else.
1. Chapter 1: Invite

**Hey guys, Champion of the Divine Sun here with an Animal Crossing story. It's something that I've been mulling over during October. I was inspired by WindRyder1's "The Nightmare of Aika," so I had asked them if I could use their characters in my story, and they agreed.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this.**

 **Disclaimer(Update: 11/21/17): The characters Kosei, Kenshin and Mel, the town of Seaside, and the events of AC: NOA belong to WindRyder1. I only own the town of Mira and the humans within it.**

 **Note: I guess that this should count as a spiritual sequel to the WindRyder1's "The Nightmare of Aika." If they are reading this, I hope they like this beginning.**

 **Reflected Nightmare**

* * *

 _To the mayor of Seaside:  
_ _I invite you to the quiet town of Mira for some advice. I've only been mayor for a few days now, so I wanted to speak with someone more experienced than I. I hope to see you at the station._

 _-From Mayor Torii_

Kosei reread the letter again, considering the letter's offer. If this mayor needed advice, it may be best to take a look of the town before saying anything.

"Kosei, you can't be seriously be considering it." The boy looked up at the girl before him, who brought him out of his thoughts. Her eyes showed concern.

"Agreed." The boy next to the girl said. Kosei only sighed in exasperation. As mayor, it felt right to help another one, especially if they had no idea on what to do. However, he understood why his friends were acting this way. They were both broken by a series of events along with two other mayors.

"If you two going to act like that, then why not come along with me? I need to notify Isabelle about this."

It only took a couple of minutes for the three humans to get to Town Hall, but when Kosei showed the letter to Isabelle, her reaction was what they didn't expect.

"M-Mira? You got invited to Mira?" She sounded nervous before clearing her throat, probably steeling her nerves. "I'm afraid I can't let you, sir. It's a town that shouldn't be accessed by anyone freely."

"Why? Is it similar to Aika Village?" Mel asked, fear evident in her tone.

"Oh no, not in the slightest. It's just not easy to accept its existence, that's all." Isabelle lied, but Kosei persisted.

"If the mayor wants advice, that I will give it. But I can't do that unless I see the place itself."

Isabelle glared at him, before relenting. She sighed dejectedly. "Fine," she grabbed a slip of paper and wrote something on it before signing, "Be sure to get signatures from both Luna and Shrunk before heading for the station."

She handed the slip to Kosei, who looked at it.

 _I hereby grant the following people access to visit the town of Mira:  
_ _Mayor Kosei of Seaside  
_ _Mel of Seaside  
_ _Kenshin of Seaside_

 _Signed,  
_ _X Isabelle  
_ _X  
_ _X_

It took much longer to get Shrunk's, and even longer for Luna's. There was something about this town that was making them agitated.

By the time, they had gotten the signatures and packed their things, it was almost one in the afternoon. Porter was looking at them worriedly.

...

They took their seats, and Mel immediately spoke. "Alright, what exactly is wrong with Mira that made them act like that?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Isabelle said that it wasn't like Aika Village. We'll be the judge of that."

Kosei only stared out the window, seeing the fences of other villages and the darkness of tunnels. Around ninety minutes later, the train slowed and stopped. The three got off, and the train abandoned them.

"Welp," Mel said, "there's goes our escape route."

Kosei swatted Mel's arm before leaving the station, but caught the flag's design. It looked an altered rose flag.

"Hmm…"

* * *

" _We have guests, Solis." A black-haired boy whispered._

" _Indeed, we do, Umbra." A lavender-haired girl whispered back._

" _If only we could visit them…" They whispered in unison._


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Mira

Chapter 2: Meeting the Mayor (Kosei)

From here, we could see Town Hall, the cafe and the plaza. Judging by the tree, this town was recently discovered. Maybe two months, at most.

"Ah, you actually came."

In front of us stood a girl, showing her delight. She walked up to us and curtsied. "My name is Torii, the mayor of Mirror- I mean, Mira." She blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry. Slip of the tongue. It's common for me to do that."

"Hello, Torii. My name is Kosei, the mayor of Seaside. And these are my friends Mel and Kenshin." I gestured to my friends.

"It's nice to meet you all. Would you like a tour of our town?"

As she led us around I noticed two other homes. They were next to each other, but the river separated them. The house on our side of the river had red tulips surrounding it, outlined with white lilies. The house on the other side also had red tulips, but they were blocked by some bushes and a villager's home. Beyond that, there was a pattern of red, black, and blue roses.

"Who lives in those two?" The question was out of my mouth before I even realized it, and I could've sworn that Torii tensed up, before her muscles relaxed.

"They belong to the twins of the town. The one farthest from us belongs to Solis, and the other belongs to her brother, Umbra. Unfortunately, they're in the city now due to their… family issue."

"Family issue?" Kenshin sounded curious.

"They never told me what it was, and it wasn't the kind of problem I wanted to get involved in. Last I checked, I'm a mayor, not a judge." Torii joked.

I looked at Mel and noticed how she was staring at Solis's house.

"You okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Just felt a chill." The way she stuttered gave me the hint to not press it.

I looked around the town. The perfect apples gave me the fact that Mira was an apple town. In fact on the other side of the bridge, there was an alternating pattern of perfect apple trees, and non-fruit bearing trees.

"You guys must really love perfect apples," I joked. Torii chuckled at that.

"Actually, Solis in particular is downright obsessed with them, along with the Dream Suite. She's the gardener and barista of our town. Umbra is a researcher, and I'm the overseer and mediator. Not always perfect, but it works."

As they crossed the bridge, Mel shivered. "Did you guys feel that?"

Torii, Kenshin, and I looked at each other before shaking our heads. "Mel, are you sure you're okay?" I asked. When she didn't respond, Torii spoke softly, "If you'd like, we can all go the cafe and get some coffee. Knowing Brewster, he'd make me work, but it's worth it. Would you like that?"

The way Torii spoke sounded gentle, soothing, and it had an effect on Mel. It was like she was back in the present and not so focused on her past.

"Sure."

We ended talking about ourselves in the cafe for a few hours. During that time, some of the animal villagers entered and left. Hopper, Rudy, Blaire. Each of them saw the three of us with their mayor, and their expressions were blank. Blaire was the one who went up to us and whispered in Torii's eyes. Whatever it was, it had darkened Torii's expression. "Alright, Blaire. I'll take care of it."

"If it's something major, we can leave-" I started, but the mayor interrupted.

"No!" For a moment, it looked like Torii was terrified of the idea. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to regain her composure.

"I mean, no. It's rather trivial, actually. It's approaching dusk, so I want to invite you back to my place for the night." She sounded slightly afraid of our safety.

"If you insist."

…

Torii's home was mermaid central. The main room looked normal enough, but something told me that her bedroom was completely mermaid based. Torii led the three of us to her guest room upstairs, and allowed us to get comfortable.

"Well, that wasn't weird at all." Kenshin uttered sarcastically. Mel agreed mutely.

"Someone's being paranoid." I said.

"Well, can you really blame either of us?" Mel asked.

I sighed. Honestly, I couldn't really blame them. They, along with the mayors of Leafside and Sugarpine, were trapped in Aika Village, for crying out loud. I wondered if being here was reminding them of everything.

As the sun set, I could feel something reverberate in me. There was something about this town that was… unnatural.

* * *

 _We were sheltered growing up. So we grew close. Perhaps a bit too close for our parents' liking._

 _We tossed aside our morals on love and that was how the rotten fruit appeared._


	3. Chapter 3: Urge

**Chapter 3: Urge (Mel)**

 _Time- 09:35 pm_

The land that led to Solis's house felt wrong like Aika's. Unlike Aika Village, however, it felt lively live any other town I've been in. The scent of the perfect apples and roses made me dizzy, but I wanted -no, needed- to cross the bridge.

I waited for both Kenshin and Kosei to fall asleep before I got out of the bed and tiptoed to the stairs. The boys offered the guest bed to me and slept on the floor. But I've known these boys long enough to know that they heard me climb out of the bed and were just pretending to be asleep.

I opened the front door, allowing the cool autumn air in and making me shiver. I silently closed the door, hoping that at the very least, Torii would still be asleep.

The scent of the apple and flowers assaulted my nose. It was intense, but so enchanting. I made my way to the bridge and hesitated. I didn't want to cross the bridge, since I didn't want to explore alone.

" _ **Help her… Help us... Please…"**_

But I needed to.

I followed the path the roses outlined for me, and the deeper I went, I noticed the similarities between this town and Aika. There was only one bridge, making it the only way to get across. So similar, yet so different.

' _Almost like a reflection,'_ I thought to myself.

Another weird thing about this side was that all of the animals were inside. Which didn't make any sense because there was usually one or two outside at this hour.

When I finally reached the house, I stopped to admire it. It had a modern aesthetic to it, with a chalet exterior. There were no lights active, so it proved that the person wasn't inside.

' _Or they're asleep, like a sane person. Or they're inside, waiting.'_

There was something about this house that was holding my attention. I walked up to the door and twisted the knob. No resistance.

If Solis and her brother weren't here, then why would she leave her door unlocked? I felt dread settle in my stomach.

...

The main room looked like what any other normal main room that I've seen. I saw the stairs that led to the basement, and looked away. Nothing good ever happened in the basement. The stairs that led to the attics, however, had my curiosity piqued, and I didn't know why. It felt like someone was pushing me to the stairs, forcing me to walk up.

I was in Solis's bedroom. It looked so normal, and very organized. Nothing looked out of place, until I noticed two journals on her modern wooden bed. The violet cover on the left journal made me realize it was the same one that I had. And Kosei. And Kenshin. It was Dr. Shrunk's joke book. Our way to regain emotions.

I looked at the doorway, then back at the book. It couldn't hurt to see how many emotions she had. I opened it to see that she was halfway there, and that her most recent emotion was Daydream. I set it down and picked up the other book. The cover was much more worn out, and the entries were reminiscent of a diary, but they weren't exactly.

 _Creak._

The door opened, and I realized that I needed to hide. I was an intruder in a resident's house. I looked around and saw a wardrobe and stepped inside it. I forced myself to squat down. I heard the pair of feet climb up the stairs and enter the room.

"Stupid parents. I'm the damn mayor, and yet, they still haunt me." A female voice spoke. That must be Solis. And she claimed to be the mayor. I thought that Torii was.

"Where's my dream journal?" The panicked tone in her voice made my heart stop momentarily. I didn't realize that I still had it in my hands when I was looking for a hiding spot.

"Where is it? It has to be here!" I could hear the sound of items falling, and a soft tune filled the air. I couldn't recognize it, but Solis clearly did. When she spoke, she sounded dazed.

"Brother… I have to go back. I must rebuild it. It's my duty." Her footsteps neared my hiding spot. I heard something outside.

"There. Hehe. I hope that I didn't jinx another visitor by locking away our past. I hope for the day that I can properly greet people who visit Mira Village."

The footsteps retreated from the closet and I released the air that I didn't know that I was holding. I tried to push the doors open, and when I couldn't, I realized what that sound. She locked the doors. Solis locked me in her closet.

Why did I go alone? I didn't want to, but I had to.

* * *

 _I had to keep it a secret. But it was spilled. Now the beauty of Mira was gone, marred by the ugliness of my past. And my brother... gave me a gift._

 ** _My sister abused the gift. If I hadn't gone to the valley of flowers, then maybe I wouldn't have found out how the suite operated._**


	4. Chapter 4: The Twins

**Chapter 4: The Twins (Torii and Kenshin)**

I woke up to rather loud knocking, which meant that Umbra was here. My eyes snapped open at the realization.

' _If Umbra is here, then that means…'_

Hastily, I got up and changed, fixed my hair, and was just putting on my shoes when I heard him say, "Torii! Where are you?"

I groaned in annoyance. "Umbra! I have guests over!"

That shut him up real quick, allowing me to finish putting on my lace up boots. I walked into the main room to see the black-haired boy glare at me. Behind him were a sleepy Kosei and Kenshin.

"Why would you allow people to visit us? Don't you remember-"

"Umbra, I brought them here for advice. They're Mayor Kosei and Kenshin of Seaside."

Umbra registered my words, and turned to face them. He bowed slightly. "Allow me to apologize for my rude behavior. My name is Umbra, it's nice to meet you," he looked at Kenshin, "Especially you."

"Me?" Kenshin was confused.

"You were one of the people who went through Aika Village, right?"

"..Yeah. How do you know?"

"Well," Umbra rubbed his head in embarrassment, "News travels fast around here."

I looked past the boys and noticed something. "Where's Mel?"

"That's what we were going to ask you." Kosei said, his voice a bit strained.

"I don't know where she is." I answered honestly.

Umbra tenses up. I think he knew where she could be. "Torii, I'd like to speak to you in private. It's about the project."

I tensed up. I wasn't kidding when I said that he was a researcher. I smiled in a strained manner, and spoke to my guests, "Kosei, Kenshin, can you head out and explore Mira on your own accord? I'm certain the Animals would help you out."

Kenshin was about to protest, but Kosei rested his hand on the other's shoulder.

Once they had changed and left, I spoke. "How's her status?"

Umbra shook her head. "Still the same. I'm really trying, but Solis is a stubborn producer. Working on the town, no problem at all. But with my project, she's a stubborn specimen."

I stared at the boy. "I'm sorry, but did you just-"

"I didn't mean to call her that. You know how I get, Torii. It's in my nature." His apology was rushed, and I heard his voice break.

"Torii, I'm afraid of failing her. If I can't get her to curb this nocturnal habit, then I'll have no choice but to report her and send her away. I don't think that either of us are capable to take her place. I've been trying to find the right kind of flowers that have the same effect as the Suite.

"So far, I think I've found out the flower type, but I'll have to confirm it with Luna. However…" He trailed off, which made me worry.

"What is it?" I asked, dreading the answer. Umbra took off his headphones and hat, revealing the black hair he tried to hide. He ran his free hand through it, showing the signs of frustration.

"Luna has said that the dream version of Mira has deteriorated significantly. If I can't get rid of Solis's issue, and get her to update Mira's image, there might be more.. Bad side effects."

"Umbra," I spoke, hoping to soothe his nerves, "I know it's hard. But right now, we need to find a way to save her. And you were hiding something from the boys. What was it?"

"This 'Mel' girl… I think she went into Solis's house last night. When we got back from Hana Valley, it was almost nine at night. And I could've sworn that I saw someone in front of her house. I think that it was her."

My brain went into overdrive. "Crap. Solis might've caught her. Go to her house, and find Mel. I'll handle the other two."

* * *

We could see Torii and Umbra leave the house. Umbra walks to us and said, "Well, it was nice to meet you both. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on my sister." With that, Umbra crossed the bridge and headed for his sister's house.

Torii, on the other hand, looked stressed out. "Okay. Look, Umbra has a guess on where Mel could be, and he's going to find her. But, is there anything that I can answer for you guys?

"Yeah, how about what on earth is going on?" The tone was harsher than I intended, and Torii flinched.

"I guess you guys deserve to hear some of it." She sounded weary, like she was tired of it. "Come along now." She led us to Main Street, to the Dream Suite, in particular.

"This is where the root of our problem is." She sounded broken.

"What problem, Torii? Is something wrong with the Dream Suite?" Another voice called out. Torii stiffened and looked behind us, prompting both Kosei and I to do the same. Another girl stood there, wearing a beaded shirt, corseted skirt, fishnet tights, and a pair of white patent shoes.

"I don't think that we've met before. My name is Solis, the true mayor of Mira."

"But I was under the impression that Torii was mayor."

Solis scoffed at that. "Oh, please, she's like the babysitter whenever I'm out traveling. But I've yet to know who you two are."

Torii looked uncomfortable. "T-They are Mayor Kosei and Kenshin of Seaside. They are here upon invitation along with their friend Mel."

"Kenshin and Mel? As in the ones who had gone through Aika Village?" Solis's leaf green eyes widened in surprise. I noticed the slightly pink tint in the whites. Was she tired?

Solis shook her head, and waved her hand. "I need to get to Dream Suite. I need to update Mira's dream."

Torii looked at her with concerned worry. "Already? Haven't you done that already just last night?"

Solis frowned. "Is that a problem, Torii? You know how easy it is for me to force you out of here."

Torii looked down at the dirt path. That's when I realized how wrong Solis's actions were. "You sound just like a dictator."

The girl before me rolled her eyes. "I may not be the one who invited you here, but I can easily kick you out. Don't push it."

And just that, her anger changed her, and she pushed past the three of us, and entered the Dream Suite.

Torii closed her dark eyes, allowing tears to fall. "And that was the result of the problem. Solis, the very reason for Mira's tree to exist and grow, has a dream addiction. And her brother, Umbra, can't help her."

* * *

 ** _"What have I done?" I should've seen the signs long before I started this. I shouldn't have given her that journal. It's the only she does now. Go to the Suite, spend hours and Bells in there, and come out with even more entries._**

 _I have never felt so free before. I really do love my brother. But he's doesn't feel the same. I planted those red tulips around our houses for a reason. Brother... The town is growing dark. Everything is wrong. What's happening?_


	5. Chapter 5: A Key

**Chapter 5: A Key (Mel, Kosei, Umbra)**

My muscles are cramping from sitting in here for so long. I have no idea when I fell asleep, but I remember waking up to the opening door. My mind immediately thought that Solis came back, and I immediately held my breath.

"Mel? Are you here? If you are, give me a sign." It was a boy's voice. Neither Kosei nor Kenshin, but it definitely wasn't Solis. Could it be her brother, Umbra, the other twin that Torii mentioned?

"Torii sent me here to find you. Your friends are worried about you, you know." I could hear the boy speak as he ascended the stairs.

I knocked on the door of the wardrobe lightly with my left knuckles, hoping that he'd hear me. A set of footsteps headed towards the door, but stopped.

"Hold on." Umbra grunted as he pulled something heavy out of his way. The sudden brightness made me recoil and shut my eyes.

"Oh jeez, I'm so sorry." A shadow blocked the light, allowing my eyes to slowly adjust. The boy before me wore a kiwi tee, ninja pants, and a pair of yellow sneakers. His green eyes reminded me of the trees during the summer months. His hair was as black as Torii's eyes, and a bit unkempt. The worry of his face made me believe that I was safe.

He outstretched his hand to me. "Would you like some help?" I blinked, before nodding and grabbing his hand. Almost immediately, I collapsed to the floor. My legs had fallen asleep.

"Again, I'm so sorry for not catching you." The boy knelt down.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, staring at the boy before him.

The boy before me relayed the events that had occurred earlier that morning. Of course, with me being stuck in a closet the whole night, I had nothing to recount besides what I heard and what I held in my hands.

"Also, Solis was freaking out over this." I offered the journal to the boy, who had introduced himself as Umbra. He held the journal as if it were a sacred item. He opened it, his eyes scanning some of the pages.

He pulled me up once I said that my legs could bear my weight, and he smiled at me. "What?" I asked as we descended the stairs and exited the house.

"Mel, you just gave me a reason to save my twin. Come on, let's head to my house." With that, he sped-walked to the bridge, with me trailing behind him. As I crossed the stone bridge, I felt like someone had splashed cold water onto my face. I suddenly felt more alert, even though the scent of the roses and perfect apples trees still lingered in the air. As we walked towards his house, which required to walk around the town hall, we could see Torii, Kosei, and Kenshin running towards us. They were all out of breath.

"What happened to you three?" Kosei and Kenshin looked at me, and immediately, they hugged me tightly, relief evident with the way their muscles relaxed.

"We met.. Solis.." Torii gasped out while trying to regain her breath. She looked at Umbra apologetically. I could see the male twin tighten his grip on his sister's journal slightly.

* * *

As Kenshin and I let go of Mel, we all heard Umbra clear his throat and unlock the door to his home. "Come on in, everyone. There is something I'd like to talk about."

I felt a little concerned. The remaining four of us walked inside to see a standard living room. Torii made a beeline to the room on the right, and the smell of food being cooked made my mouth water. It didn't matter what town I was in, I loved food. Mel took a sideways glance at me and smirked.

"Just be sure to not drool all over the floor," she teased. Kenshin looked like he was trying not to smile. Umbra headed into the kitchen as we took our seats around the table. We heard shouts coming from Torii and Umbra. But whatever Umbra shouted back wasn't in Animaleese, but it did make Kenshin stiffened slightly.

"Something wrong, Kenshin?" I asked, and he let out a shaky breath. He was quiet for a few seconds.

"I... I think I understood what Umbra said," He said, his eyes cast downwards, "He had called Torii crazy."

"Wait, you understood me?" Umbra reentered the room slowly, holding some sodas. He stared at Kenshin worriedly, before replacing it with a mask of seriousness. He gave a soda to the three of us, then set one down on the table for Torii. His eyes were distant, as if his brain were going in many directions before settling on one. He cleared his throat.

"I'm aware of your encounters with my twin sister, Solis. And I'd like to explain… Her condition."

"Condition?" Kenshin asked warily. There was no doubt that he was replaying his memories. Mel held his hand to remind him that he needed to focus on the present.

* * *

I heard the caution in Kenshin's voice, making me look away. If I tell the three of them, would they get upset? If Solis finds out about the true purpose of my project, would she hate me even more than she already does now? Torii came in, carrying a tray of food. The red tulip in her hair made my heart freeze momentarily. Flowers held a hidden language within them. I had given Torii one which she kept in her bedroom. Then, Solis had given me a bouquet of them later that day. I had given Solis a striped carnation in return.

"Yeah. When we all moved here, Solis was the first one who stepped foot on Mira. It's how she became mayor. During the first month, she was the ideal mayor. Constantly working on projects, conversing with the animals, blah, blah.

"Then, she disappeared for a few hours one day. When she came back, she was a bit dazed. She sounded far away, and she had said that she went to the Dream Suite."

I stopped talking to take a sip of soda, but it allowed Torii to take over for me.

"After that, she started to plant perfect apples trees. She started to become less talkative to all of us. She still worked at the Roost, but was silent whenever she served. After that, she'd make a beeline for the Dream Suite. And she would be in there for hours.

"Each time we got a chance to talk to her, we noticed how much different she was acting. The Solis we all knew was an extrovert, friendly, and cheerful. Now she's being cold and rude."

Kosei was the only one enjoying his food, while Mel and Kenshin picked at it. Guilt stabbed me. I should've stopped Torii. I should've stopped Solis. It irritated me. They mocked my inability to stop them. But Mel gave a way to fight against this helplessness.

I looked at the journal that Mel gave me. "However," I started, "when I found Mel this morning, she had this." I held up Solis's journal. A quick scan gave me the severity of her addiction. In fact, she even had the codes for each dream. But one entry in particular caught my eye.

 **Date: XX/XX/17  
** **Today I visited the town of Seaside. It's so beautiful, even though I got soaked in the imaginary rain. The perfect cherry trees were something I had yet to see before, and I'd imagined that they tasted divine in real life. The mayor's name was Kosei, joined with Mel and Kenshin. The very same Mel and Kenshin who had gone through Aika Village! My village is the closest to the valley of flowers here in Animalia. Then again, a lot of stuff has happened across the islands.  
** **-Solis  
** **Seaside: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX**

"Say, Kosei, what's your town's Dream Code?" I asked, hoping that my mind was crafting this theory. Unfortunately, he relayed his town's code perfectly, without missing a beat.

"Your town has cherries as the native fruit, doesn't it?" The way they still stiffened answered m question.

"H-How…" Mel couldn't even finish her question.

"Solis has visited your town before. She even wrote your names down." I answered.

"Well, that's creepy." Kenshin bluntly stated.

A loud scream caught our attention. Humans are known for having selective hearing. We'd let words in and out, and react to something that's out of place. Even in Mira, there wasn't anything severe enough to elicit something like that.

All five of us got out of our seats and left my home to see what had happened.

* * *

 _My brother was a plant researcher, so he often left Mira to head for the valley. The striped flower he gave me was his answer. And it broke me._

 ** _It was sibling love that I had for my sister._**

* * *

 **A/N: I would like to let you guys know that the island of Animalia, as well as four others, belongs to NewgamePlus-LD. They're working on a 3D animated cinematic for AC and have included my quiet town of Mira.**

 **Thank you for reading the chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6: Betrayal

Chapter 6: Betrayal (Omnipotent) (Time- Around 11:45 AM)

The five humans exited Umbra's house to see Solis arguing with Fauna, who was trying to placate the other's anger. All of the other animal villagers minus Rudy and Cookie, since the two were up on Main Street, also headed to where the lavender-haired human and deer were. Fauna had her back at the river, and the bridge slightly to her right. But she didn't want to make any sudden movements, out of fear that the human might harm her.

"What's going on here!" Umbra asked loudly. Solis turned her attention to her brother, and uttered one word in a lost language.

" _ **Traitor."**_

Umbra's hands clenched into fists to keep himself in check. That one word had hurt him more than he expected. He felt a part of him break. He could hear Kenshin take a step back, as if he had been stabbed.

' _So, Kenshin shares the same lost language as Solis and I,'_ he thought, ' _That explains what happened earlier.'_

"Solis, if-" Kosei started, but abruptly stopped.

"Stay out of this! You three have no business in this matter, or in this town for that matter!"

Mel's eyes noticed that Solis was reaching for her pockets. She was about to grab something. Torii stepped forward, holding her arm out in front of the male twin protectively.

"You need to understand something, Solis. I invited them here so that they can help us help you. I know that you still feel upset. But you shouldn't abuse the Dream Suite as you have. You're self-destructing yourself, and it's only going to get worse if you keep doing this. Especially to the animals."

Torii's tone was motherly and soft; it was her attempt to placate Solis's temper. But the red tulip in her blonde hair unknowingly made the mayor even more upset.

"The two of you betrayed me." Solis's words showed her bitterness. "Even when I knew how wrong it was for me to act and feel, I couldn't help it. And then you…," she pointed a finger at Umbra with her other hand, "You just had to tell me the truth." Solis looked about ready to cry, but she blinked her tears back. She deleafed a silver shovel, which made everyone back up in tense fear. Adrenaline was spiking their blood, and getting ready. Kosei remembered vaguely that there wasn't a police station established yet. If anyone got hurt, it'd be a while for them to get help. Especially considering the status that Mira has.

"That's enough, Solis!" A high-pitched voice spoke. Everyone turned their focus on Isabelle, whose expression was unlike her usual cheery demeanor.

"And what gave you the impression that I'll listen?" The mayor asked, her gaze hardening behind silver frames. "Heck, what made you think that I'll listen to a-"

"Solis." The intensity in the secretary's voice caught the three visitors in a loop. Two thoughts ran through their heads.

' _What was Solis about to say? And why does her secretary look like an exact replica of Isabelle?'_

Umbra winced. The fact that Solis was going to let that secret slip was enough proof that she didn't care about the mental crashes that was going to happen to the human residents of Seaside if Isabelle hadn't interfered.

"Please, Solis. For our sake, calm down. We'd hate to send you to Aika because-" Agnes's sentence was cut short when she felt herself hit the ground with an intense stinging sensation on her right cheek. The animals gasped in horrified shock while the humans felt a cold sensation go through them. As if Solis's attack had frozen them in place.

Kenshin was the first one to notice the red liquid on the metal. Blood was shed. The pig put a paw up to her cheek, and the amount of red that appeared on it when she removed it had an effect on Solis.

The mayor looked at the end and saw the red stain, and immediately dropped the tool as if it burned her. Something like regret flashed in her eyes. Even though she was starting to become more susceptible to temper flares, Solis would never hit any of her villagers. No exceptions.

"I'm sorry, Agnes. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't…" She stopped talking, feeling something claw at her. It was guilt, and it was relentless in its attack. Solis sprinted away from the group, but she didn't head for Main Street, for once.

Instead, she headed for her home, but the animals blocked the only bridge. She ran past everyone and the Town Hall, destroying any flowers between her and the river edge. At the last moment, she jumped across.

Unfortunately, only the top half of her body made it to the other side. Her legs were in the swift, cold river, and the current was attempting to pull her off. The sudden cold stunned Solis momentarily, but she shook it off, at someone's calling. She didn't care who it was, although it sounded like Fauna.

Her right hand grabbed the base of one of the bushes while her left hand held a clump of grass that was starting to show the signs of wear. Slowly, she pulled herself up and out of the river. Her skirt stuck itself to her thighs as she headed into her home.

Mel looked away from the event to stare at the blood-stained shovel. Everyone else sounded muffled, as if they were talking through water. Solis had lost it and harmed an animal. Would that be enough to send her away to a different town? Or was there something else before that?

 _'Torii and Umbra did say that she had developed an addiction to dreams. So then what…?'_

That was when she saw the little scroll of paper tied around the handle with a piece of string. Since it blended in, it would've been easily missed. Undoing the small knot and removing the paper, Mel unfurled it and a look of irritation flickered across her features. The characters were not Animalese, but she remembered how Kenshin reacted to Umbra's gibberish earlier. He could understand him. But could he understand the writing? And if that's true, then was possible that Kosei could as well?

"Kenshin, take a look at this." The architect of Seaside handed the paper to its respective barista and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

"Kosei," Kenshin almost sounded afraid, "This is for you from Solis."

By this time Isabelle had managed to convince everyone to return to their usual routine, but she had allowed Hopper and Fauna to help Agnes with her injury. "Head to the valley. I'll notify the people there and explain the situation." She said, her tone calm, yet strained.

As Kosei read the note to himself, a removed part of his brain was running around in circles, firing synapses. He could translate the weird characters. And its contents weren't good.

 _Mayor Kosei of Seaside:_

 _You have piqued my interest, professionally speaking. Unlike your friends, you've yet to encounter any sort of living nightmare. I'd like to fix that. Which is why I'm offering you a challenge. In my current state, I won't say it without threatening your life with a shovel or axe._

 _I'd want you to enter the dream version of Mira, and figure out not only the secrets of my friends and I, but the true purposes of the Dream Suite. And to verify that you've done it, I will join you._

 _I hope to hear your response in a few hours._

 _-Mayor Solis of Mira_


	7. Chapter 7: Choices and Consequences

**Chapter 7: Choices and Consequences (Solis, Umbra, Kosei)**

I changed into a set of dry clothes before putting my usual outfit in the dryer, which resided in my basement. I sighed in relief, even though the guilt continued its onslaught. I hurt Agnes with my shovel. I had hit her hard enough to draw blood from her. I wasn't even th-

No. I was thinking straight. My body acted on my thoughts of wanting to silence Agnes. I wanted her to be quiet. Why couldn't I stop myself?

' _Because you wanted to be the murdering ghost you've dreamt so many times before,'_ my id whispered.

No. No, it's not. That was a nightmare I once had when I was in my bedroom. I remember waking up in a cold sweat, shivering. After that, I started to grow paranoid about the subtlest of things. Then, I came up with the idea with going to the Dream Suite to free me from it lingering effects. It only worsened. Everything, from Umbra's truths, to my nightmare changed Mira's state into an actual nightmare. And it only got worse each time I updated it.

Which was why I wrote that note in a lost language known as Japanese. That was one of the truths that Umbra told me, along with many others. Only those who share that language with Umbra and I would understand it. I just hope Kosei picks the right choice. If he doesn't, then I'll have to bear the burden of my consequences alone. I don't want to bring Umbra or Torii down with me.

* * *

The five of us returned to my home silently, unable to speak since we were still processing what we just saw. The very idea of my twin sister harming an animal villager made me sick to my stomach. None of us were in the mood to eat now, and Mel was the only one able enough to get us glasses of water after I numbly told her where the glasses were.

"So…," My voice sounded very weak so I cleared my throat, "So, Kosei, what did the note say?"

As Kosei explained the note's contents, I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. Of course she would do something like this. She was starting to developing a liking of making people suffer.

"No, there's no way I'm letting you do this." Kenshin said matter-of-factly, with Mel nodding her head in agreement. I could see her rubbing Torii's back as a way to soothe her. I looked at the carpet below my feet, and allowed myself to cry.

"If she wants me to do it, then I'll do it." Kosei was starting to let his irritation show. As Kenshin and Kosei's argument began to escalate, I could hear something in my head groan.

"This is obviously a trap, and you know it!"

"At least I'm willing-"

"Can the two of you just shut up!"

My sudden outburst stopped the two boys. My hands were in fists, and they were shaking with my barely contained frustration. I got out of my seat, and stormed up the stairs that led to my greenhouse. As a plant researcher, I spent the majority of my time here. I looked at the culprit before me. No wonder these things aren't anywhere in this world. They transported it from the other world. I stared at the _salvia divinorum_ with distaste. I know that Luna told me that this was the plant they mainly used, but still it disgusted me.

"Hey, Umbra. You okay?"

I was so caught up in my emotions that I didn't hear Kosei ascend the stairs. When he called out to me, I froze up a bit before relaxing and speaking.

"Y-Yeah… Sorry about that. I-"

"Umbra, it's alright. None of us could really blame you for acting that way. Improper, yes, but understandable. Kenshin and I would also like to apologize for our behavior downstairs."

He looked down at the common wooden flooring, obviously embarrassed.

* * *

"It's fine, Kosei. You've only been here for about two days now. It's natural to act that way," Umbra frowned, "Although, that's the first time any one of us in Mira have seen Solis lash out to that extent."

Umbra's expression grew dark as he shifted his gaze to one of the plants. It was two meters tall and had small, white flowers.

"Something wrong?" I asked him, and he became expressionless. He almost looked dead on the inside.

"Yeah, just thinking about something." He cleared his throat. "So, Kosei, are you seriously considering Solis's challenge?"

There was something in his voice that told me to pick my words carefully. I had to make a choice. If I said yes, then there's a chance to see things that I might never unsee.

However, if I said no, Solis's mental condition might worsen to a point where she couldn't return. The way she had hit Agnes earlier today was proof of it.

"As much as I don't want to accept this challenge Solis had sent me, I'd feel guilty about not being able to help another mayor with their problems. Even if their problem is something I'm not allowed to know," I answered honestly.

"...That's your way of saying yes, isn't it?" Umbra looked away. He muttered something under his breath, but I couldn't tell what. He cleared his throat, and without looking away, he said, " _I remembered while she forgot. The choices we made did more harm than good. And neither of us are willing to admit who's the one at fault."_

" _Umbra, are you sure you're okay?"_

Umbra looked at me, surprise evident on his face. And it took me a moment to understand what had just occurred.

Umbra said something in a language that wasn't Animaleese, and not only did I understand it, I even asked if he was alright in that mysterious language.

"That never happened. Understood?"

I nodded mutely before the two of us headed back downstairs. Torii looked so depressed even when Mel was trying to comfort her, but seeing the hopelessness of her face had punched me in the gut. But at the very least, she was responsive enough to look and weakly smile.

"So what do we do now?" Kenshin asked. After Umbra's outburst, he took a seat and took some sips of water in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"We have to wait a couple of hours. It's far too early to head for the Dream Suite." Umbra said, but the exhaustion in his voice was starting to become obvious. He yawned, then shook his head. "All of us should rest for now. Who knows what's going to happen once the sun sets."

All of us silently nodded in agreement. Umbra went downstairs to his bedroom while Torii and Mel went to his guest bedroom in the back. Which left Kenshin and I here in the main room. I guess that the both of us knew that Umbra wanted to be alone.

"Sorry," Kenshin said quietly, "I understand why you want to help Solis. I just…" He trailed off.

"It's still affecting you." I felt guilty. If that tarantula surge never happened, I wouldn't have sent them off, and they wouldn't have gotten stuck at Aika Village.

"But I can't blame you. You didn't know what was going to happen once you sent us away." Kenshin's voice was soft. "But I'm glad to have made two new friends during that."

' _Especially since you took a liking to one of them,'_ I thought to myself before allowing my eyes to close.

* * *

 **(Time Skip: Around 6:55 PM)**

The five of us headed for Main Street and slowly made our way to the Dream Suite. Earlier today, it looked as harmless as mine in Seaside. But now that the sun was gone, I could sense an underlying wrongness about it. Like how you can tell that something is off, but you can't really explain it.

The others seemed to have that feeling as well, since we were getting antsy. Though, her voice worsened the building anxiety.

"I see that you've made your choice, Kosei. However, once you cross the threshold, you aren't allowed to leave until you find the silenced secrets." Solis sounded so tired, for a moment I was tempted to take her to her home. And then I remembered what happened earlier this afternoon. She may have abandoned her shovel, but her axe might be in her pockets right now. And I wanted to keep my life, thank you so much.

I nodded slowly, and walked over to her. I opened the door for her, and let her walk in first.

"My, a gentleman, aren't you?" Even the kind tone in her voice left a chilling impression on me.

As I entered the suite, I saw Luna staring at the little gyroid ruefully. My eyes landed on a small table that had two sets of pajamas, dependent on gender, of course.

"Don't change." Solis said, but there was that undertone of authority that she had as a mayor. Or rather, the kind of authority a dictator would have. Which was why I found myself standing straighter, in fear of the chance that she could easily end my life.

Solis sat on the couch, smoothed out her skirt, and smirked. There was a cruel light in her green eyes.

"I will rest on the couch and wait for you to enter. If you do not, there will be some… inconveniences for you," She said ominously before lying down and closing her eyes. I took a deep breath and followed her through the bed. The lights dimmed, and I felt the usual drowsiness take over, forcing my eyes to close.


	8. Classified File 1

**WARNING: This part, as well as any other Forbidden Files, will be entrusted to you as a way to see outside the Dream Suite.**

 **Forbidden Files 1: Town Hall/Train Station Conversations**

"Hello, this is Secretary Isabelle of Mira. Animal 4.U1PI has been injured by mayor. Cause: Hit with a silver shovel. I've sent Animals 156.N27DE8 and 207.C33PE8 to Shokutaku. I'm also going to send the following to that town: Animals 9SQ2, 110.N18RA6, 31DO19, and 394.J59SQ17."

The person on the other end is garbled.

"Animals 113.P19DO9 and 387.J56CA21 were the only two animals who didn't witness the incident," Isabelle pauses to listen before responding, "Yes. It hurts me to do this, even though I would understand why we must do this course of action. Would you like to-?"

The dog paused. "I see. You want me to stay to keep an eye on them." A worried look appeared on her face. "But still, the experiment backfired severely because of the slip-up. It's still wrong to see Solis-"

Again, she was cut off. She was starting to get irritated.

"There's a difference between us Animals and Humans. _We_ don't mind such a relationship. But they're human siblings. And according to humans, it's wrong on many levels."

Isabelle sighed and hung up the phone, shaking her head.

"Even the other animals would have to agree." She said to herself, for once appreciating the lonely room.

* * *

Location Shift: Mira Station

"I'm sorry that it has to end this way." Isabelle solemnly said. Even though she knew what was going to inevitably happen, she had grown attached to these guys.

"It's fine, cinnamon." Blaire said, using the tic Solis had provided her one final time.

All ten animals hugged and said their farewells as soon as the train.

"All passengers for Shokutaku Village, please board."


	9. Chapter 8: Entering a Nightmare

**Warning: Now that we descending into the world of dreams, the next batch of chapters will center on Kosei and Solis only. _We_** **apologize for the inconvenience.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Entering a Nightmare (Kosei)**  
 _Location: Dreamy Seaside (XXXX-XXXX-XXXX)_

I felt the rain before I even opened my eyes. I quickly opened my eyes and sat up from the… paved ground? Wait..

I stood up and looked around. I was in Seaside, but everything was wrong. For one thing, it's fall, and it looked like the season wasn't in sight. Luna, the bed, and Lloyd weren't at the plaza. The only thing that proved that I was in the Dream World was that the train track was blocked off, as well the Campsite.

' _I didn't know that you could enter your own dream town…,'_ I thought before feeling an odd chill, and it wasn't because of the rain.

I didn't know how I could tell, but it wasn't like the same Seaside I grew up and took care of. It felt… unnatural. I headed south, towards the bridge that would lead me to my house, until I saw Merry.

"Hi, Merry," I said as cheerfully as I could in my current situation. But she just blankly stared back at me. The cold chill returned, spreading across my shoulder blades, making me shudder involuntarily. I looked at the sign in front of her house and took a double take.

 _ **P37CA12**_

I looked at Iggly's sign, since the penguin lived next to the cat. Same thing, yet also different: _**J30PE9**_

What the hell was going on?

I entered my home and covered my face with my hands. Already, my brain was all over the place.

"Okay. Already in here for ten minutes and I'm starting to lose it."

"Already? That was faster than I originally expected."

I looked up to see Solis, and was stunned by her appearance. Her lavender hair was longer, reaching the middle of her back. Her beaded shirt looked worn out and was a bit tattered at the bottom and the sleeves. The same could be said for the skirt, although it looked like it had recently been patched up judging the different colored fabrics. Her fishnet tights and shoes were gone. But the smirk on her face and the mischievous glow in her emerald eyes told me that it was only the beginning.

"Shocked, aren't you? I can't blame you, honestly. But don't you think it's enter another human's home without their permission?"

"What are you talking…" I never finished my sentence as I looked past Mira's mayor and looked at the main room. It was nothing like mine. I was in Solis's house, but it had the exact same aesthetics as my own.

"Dreams are supposed to be fluid, constantly shifting to our desire. The suite solidifies the current state of our towns so that it can be seen." The smirk grew, revealing a sort of calm madness that Solis had. "We humans have accepted the idea of visiting other towns without even leaving our own, but we never questioned it. I did, and that was before I remembered that Umbra was my brother."

She stared at me, and I suddenly felt like prey. Compared to me and everyone else, she was the most experienced with the Dream Suite and its concept. But knowledge is power, and power can corrupt anyone if left unchecked.

"Open the door that leads to buried secrets and dangerous knowledge. Will you survive the town of madness? Or will you snap like the others that had been sent there?"

"You don't scare me." I said with false bravado hoping to deter her with a mask of bravery. But her next set of words dissolved that mask and instinctively open the door and flee the house.

"If you want to see my decaying dream, you'll have to descend into our madness and survive. Failure to do so varies. Have fun, Mayor Kosei of Seaside."


	10. Chapter 9: The Town of Madness

**Happy holidays, everyone!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:** **Kyōki, The Town of Madness (Kosei)**

The sky was dark; no stars or moon in sight. But the air was filled with unhinged laughter. I went around a corner of the house to see nothing but human houses. There wasn't a single animal house that I could see. Each house varied in size, some as small as when you first start out, others at the maximum size. There was a lot of foliage, making some easy hiding spots. I cautiously walked and shivered at the cold sea wind that blew behind me.

Just like "Seaside," this town felt wrong. I was close to one of the smaller houses and I was tempted for look through the window. I was a bit curious, but my gut told me not to. That it might be one of Solis's traps. As if she hadn't trapped me enough in this world.

 _Rustle._

I looked to my left and saw the bushes move slightly. Maybe it was rising fear, paranoia, or both, but I started to run.

And that's when things somehow got worse. The laughter grew in volume and intensity, and I could a boy yell out, "Get him, everyone! Get the intruder!" His laughter showed his insanity, and it looked like his words brought the town to life. Doors opened, revealing the owners, and plants rustled as other humans emerged from them. Their clothes were torn, and any exposed skin bore scratches, scars, and bruises. I ran even faster, and my rationality shut off. I was working on the fight-or-flight response. I avoided as many humans as I could, and a part of me numbly realized that they had shovels and axes, and they brandished them as weapons.

But they were starting to catch up to me, since I hadn't had a reason to run back in Seaside. The next thing I remember was someone grabbing my arm and pulling me inside a building. I could hear the door slam shut, and some furniture being moved to barricade it. I was on my hands and knees, inhaling as much oxygen as I could but I did look at the human who grabbed me. It was a girl much younger than me, maybe six or seven years old. She had light green hair done in pigtails, and she wore a preppy school uniform. She was barefoot.

"Okay, that should hold them off for now." She sounded young, proving my assumption. She turned around, and I could see her blue eye. The other was swollen shut, as if she'd been stung by a bee. "What's your name, sir?" She was polite, and waited for me to respond.

"It's-," I coughed as I tried to regain my breath, "It's Kosei Natsuhara. And you?"

"Arisu Genki, and I'm the unfortunate mayor of Kyoki." I looked at her in disbelief. She's in charge of this madness? I began to crawl away, but she held up a hand to make me stop.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, sir. I just need to ask how you're in the dream variation of the real Kyoki. This is one of the forbidden dream towns. You can't access this place under any circumstances."

I explained everything to Arisu, from the letter I received from Torii to how I was in the Dream Suite, trying to get to the dream version of Mira. She was a good listener.

"I've met Solis before in Azuma-Kaosu, when we were invited by the mayor himself. I got a headache just by walking around the place and getting lost, but that place was a lot better than here. Solis was very kind, polite, just like any other mayor I've met. But I could tell that something was a little off in her head. Being here for four years helped me figure that out."

"Wait, you've been here for four years? And how old are you, if you don't mind me asking." Even I knew not to ask a girl's age, but I was curious.

"I'm eight. I was sent here when I turned four." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, as if the matter didn't bother her.

"What's wrong with the others? Why aren't there any animals here? What's wrong with this town?" As of right now, those three questions were my main ones.

"Kyoki has a reputation for being known as 'The Town of Madness.' Certainly, you've heard of the Isolated Island?"

I nodded. The Isolated Island was known for holding the worst humans. Well, the ones that are than the ones held in Aika Village, anyway.

"Kyoki is one of the the few towns that exist on the island. The others are within a few miles of each other, and the only thing separating all of them are just woods and forests. Maybe the occasional river. As I said before, this place is known as 'The Town of Madness.' It houses humans that have lost their mind for unknown reasons. And here, it seems as though the madness within them grows by each passing days. I've seen a huge increase in tree planting, as well as the bushes. And whenever a train arrives with some new people, the original people act calm, almost sane. But the newcomers don't know the rules here. In this town, you have to fight or defend yourselves. I've seen some people disappear, and we find their corpses a few days later.

"Once I notify the people about it, we either find something or build a casket and put it on the next train that arrives. Whenever it does arrives, at least. And.." Arisu trailed off, hesitating.

"And?" I asked. A part of me didn't want to know, but my curiosity was taking control. Arisu swallowed down her hesitation and said it.

"And once the bodies are on the train, they're sent to a nearby town called Shokutaku."

I felt very sick. I shivered at the very idea of being here in real life, trying to survive each day.

"So then, how…"

"How am I the mayor and why do I look like I retain more sanity than everyone else? Well, in truth, the mayors of these isolation towns retain something similar to the other residents, except it's either not as severe as everyone else or it's very well hidden." Arisu's eye held something close to insanity.

' _I… I have to get out of here.'_ I stood up, looking at the windows which showed no one, but I didn't realize my mistake. Because I suddenly fell to the floor with an intense pain in my head. I could barely see Arisu's feet because I was losing consciousness. I could've sworn that I heard Solis's voice behind me.

"You may have endured their madness, but can you survive a trial that'll make your stomach churn in disgust?"

* * *

 **Notes:**

 _ **Genki** **\- Sane**_

 _ **Arisu - Alice**_

 _ **Kyōki - Madness**_

 _ **Azuma Kaosu - East Chaos**_


	11. Classified File 2: Information on Kyoki

**Warning: This Classified File contains information on the town Kosei travels through in Chapter 9.**

* * *

 ** _Containment Town Name: Kyōki  
_ _Current Mayor: Arisu Genki  
Dream Address: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX_**

 ** _Notes: Also known as the Town of Madness, this Containment Town is for isolating humans that have become mentally unstable. The cause is unknown. Mayor Arisu, despite her young age, appears to be the most stable out of the humans. In an interview, she had stated that, "It's takes a lot of time and effort to build a mask of sanity, especially when I'm allowed outside."_**

 ** _Animals have become concerned for some of their own human neighbors and their well-being. Some believe that humans are a threat, and thus, should be removed from their towns completely, and placed into other CTs._**

 ** _I have also noticed this particular has many humans moving to a nearby CT known as Shokutaku. The same can be said for the rare chance of Animals._**

There is a pause on the writer's part.

 ** _Fortunately, the decrease in animals isn't noticeable to the humans. It appears that the Suites are operating very well. Except Suite #3192021 had reported a Dream Severity of 2 in September 2017 and has continuously reported an increase the weeks after. We may have to file a report to send the respective human to Kyōki._**

"Ma'am, we have a report." A cat said to the tapir, unaware of the file being written.

Luna sighed. "Thank you, Rudy. You can go, now." But the cat lingered.

"Is... Is it true? About the majority of Mira's villagers being sent to _that_ CT?" The normally happy jock asked. Luna looked up, stressed from the report typing, but still a tad surprised before remembering.

"I assume that the others are aware as well? There's no other reason why you're still here."

The cat nodded.

"... Yes, it is true. But not to worry. The replacements are on their way. The Dream Suites that have the matching animals are being alerted."

"Alright. Also, Dr. Shrunk would like to talk you about _her_."

The tapir could feel the stress building up. "Let him in."

* * *

"You do realize that the treatment might not work, right?"

"Doctor, I am aware, and I realize the mistake of ignoring Solis's Dream Severity. But-"

The axolotl interrupted the tapir.

"No buts! You should've done something back when her severity was lower! Now, I have Mira's Isabelle notifying me that she was close to revealing the purpose of the Dream Suites."

Luna looked down in shame.


	12. Chapter 10: The Town of Cannibals

**Chapter 10: Shokutaku, the Town of Cannibals (Kosei)**

My body felt heavy, but I forced my eyes to open. Was it wrong of me to hope for the roof of the Dream Suite at this point? But alas, it was wishful thinking when I saw the roof of a person's main room.

 **" _You may have endured their madness, but can you survive a trial that'll make your stomach churn in disgust?"_**

I groaned in frustration. Solis really wanted me to suffer before I reached Mira. What other towns could she potentially send me to? I tried to sit up, but my head hit wood. My eyes widened at the horrifying realization.

 _ **"... we either find something or build a casket…"**_ Arisu's voice echoed in my head.

I was stuck in a casket. I was about to panic when the lid opened, revealing a boy with red choppy hair and storm-colored eyes.

"Well, well, I didn't expect to find a live one. But then again, we haven't had a live one in months."

"Who are you?" I asked, determined to not give up my name this time. The boy above me smirked.

"Hikari Akuma, mayor of Shokutaku. You came from Kyoki, and yet you retain the majority of your sanity. It's rather impressive." He stepped aside and kicked the makeshift casket, not only making one of the walls fall off, but also making it easier for me to get out of the makeshift coffin. I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm my nerves even though I knew how pointless it was.

"I highly recommend that you stay inside for the time being. It's rather chaotic at this hour."

I wordlessly nodded, adhering to his advice. But since I was facing away from him, I wasn't able to see his expression. I have no idea why I listened to his carefully crafted words. I looked outside a window and saw some red flowers surrounding Hikari's home. They seemed to grow haphazardly and they all looked rather flat. Some patches were darker than others, which seemed normal. I've seen and breeded dark red flowers before.

I could smell something cooking, and my stomach rumbled. I was hungry, and I needed to eat, despite the fact that I was in the dream world.

' _Shokutaku…,'_ I thought to myself. Arisu mentioned this place before I got knocked out. ' _Right. They send bodies here.'_

"H-Hey, Hikari. What is your town known for?" I asked, mentally scolding myself for the stutter. In the other room, I could hear his response. "...Peaches. Why?" There was hesitation in there, which raised a red flag for me. Hmm..

Maybe I should sneak out of his house to see what his town looks like. I left the window and headed for the door when it smacked me in the face.

It was the atrocious smell of rotting meat, combined with the metallic scent of blood. I had to plug my nose and breathe through my mouth. Silently, I opened the front door and stepped outside. The smell was even worse now. I reluctantly let go of my nose to properly breathe. And now that I was outside, I realized that the red on the ground weren't flowers at all, but actually pools of blood. Even worse, I could see why he told me to not leave. There were a lot of corpses scattered about; some were near human houses, which I noticed that there were significantly fewer here than in Kyōki.

A familiar person stood across from me. Solis simply stood on the other side of the river, looking worse than the last time. Her hair was all over the place, and some of it appeared to have been cut by force. Her clothes were still patchy, but now there was some dark red stains that led my thought process down to a dark place. I tried to block it, but it remained there, festering and growing out of control.

"Ah, yes. There's the reaction I was hoping. The way you're trying to stop yourself from completely processing this, yet slowly starting to is exactly. Us humans are terrifying when we want to be. We're greedy, selfish creatures who take advantage of any scenario we happen to be in. That includes the people held in here, isolated from the rest of this world."

There was something in her eyes that was unlike the calm madness from before. It had been replaced with a hunger I've never seen. Seeing this town's dream state had ruined my appetite, so why? Why was I getting hungrier? Something in my core was stirring, waking up and slowly overtaking me.

"Ah, yes. The animal instincts of man. You're just as eager as the prisoners of Shokutaku. Here," She tosses a silver axe at me, the blade away from my face, somehow. "But I wonder, would he accept your betrayal? Look behind you."

Like a fool, I did, and my voice caught. I forced myself to swallow and shakily asked in horror. "Ch-Chief?"

The wolf before me had his paws tied behind his back, and his snout was bound with bloody rags. I had never seen such fear in his eyes. I immediately dropped the axe and glared at Solis.

"I am tired of your games, Solis. You said that we'd be in Mira's dream, and yet I'm stuck in a town that I have never heard of. Take me to Mira. Now." I had to fight the snarl in my voice.

She took a step back in -could it be shock?- and pouted, as if she was a child getting her candy taken away. "Fine. You're no fun, Kosei. I was hoping to break you here, since I failed to do so in Kyōki. But you must be curious on what this town is known for, right?"

I gave a slight nod, confirming her assumption. Hikari's hesitant response had raised a red flag, but what Solis said raised many more.

"Shokutaku is known as 'The Town of Cannibals.' Anyone who dares to eat another Human or Animals is sent here, to forever feed on what is considered forbidden. Why else would corpses be sent here?"

* * *

 **Hikari Akuma- Light Demon**

 **Shokutaku- Cannibal**


	13. Chapter 11: Living Fake Lives

**This would've been uploaded yesterday, but for some reason, the doc manager was acting a bit odd. But it's here.**

 **The Vocaloid song "Fake Life Game" is recommended. I seem to overcome writer's block with these songs.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Living Fake Lives (Kosei and Solis)**

 **Location: Dreamy Mira (XXXX-XXXX-XXXX)**

I blinked a couple of times to see the familiar mermaid house that belonged to Torii. I sighed in relief, glad that I was in Mira. Granted, I was still in the dream world, but at least I wasn't being hunted down. Solis still stood there, looking like how we first met. Except her eyes flickered between mad, afraid, and empty. And when she spoke, there was an obvious lack of energy.

"Welcome to Mira, Kosei. I…" She paused, then looked up at the cloudy sky. "I need to go. You'll have to figure it out on your own." She crossed the cobblestone bridge, and headed to her home.

I, however, entered Torii's house, and froze. Torii was here, but that was to be expected since she lived in Mira. It was her translucent appearance that had caught me off guard. After experiencing madness and death, you'd think that I'd be numb to surprises. Her ebony eyes showed sadness as she held a red tulip.

"Torii?" I hesitantly asked, but she didn't respond. She simply stood at the window, looking at the Town Tree.

"I had liked him from afar, and the tulip was a confession of sorts. But we had harmed her more than we had originally thought. She was envious of me, and started to grow bitter. Love can be both innocent and guilty. But, love is also known for driving one mad."

"What are you talking about, Torii?" I asked again, but she continued to speak, not even sparing a glance at me.

"When he told me what had happened to them both, I was horrified. And yet, I was the same as them. When Solis became mayor, she poured her energy into working, completing everything she needed to do. It was painful to see her drain herself like that. And it slowly worsened."

She disappeared, leaving me alone, but in her place was a photo. I walked over to the window and picked it up. It was her and the twins when they were younger. The three were happy, and they looked like they having fun. I turned the photo and saw something written on the back.

 _ **Torii Jigoku, age 11  
**_ _ **Umbra and Solis Dōtoku, age 10**_

And underneath their names was a set of words.

" _ **The dreams we hold are cursed and mock us."**_

Considering Torii's calm, mature nature, this particular sentence didn't sound like her at all.

"Hmm.."

I looked out the window to see a shadow head for Umbra's house. Was it showing me the way? As much as I didn't want to, I forced myself to leave Torii's home and head for Umbra's house. As I entered his home, I had the feeling to head upstairs, just like earlier today. And just like I expected, Umbra was there. He was transparent like Torii.

"I seem to remember more than my sister, more than other humans. I don't understand how, and after finding the secret of the Dream Suite, I didn't want to find any more secrets. But, I realized it too late. It is human nature to be curious about the things that intrigue us, territories that we know nothing about."

I simply stood there, listening to Umbra's words. In a way, I understood what he meant.

In Shokutaku, the hunger I was feeling was on the verge of controlling me, and it's took Chief's horrified expression to wake me up.

In Kyōki, the combination of fear and paranoia would've literally driven me mad had I not kept my wits throughout the chaos and the chase.

So what would this version of Mira do to me?

Umbra turned his gaze towards me, and the pain he expressed on his face almost made me flinch. It reminded me of my earlier conversation with him before I even entered the Dream Suite.

"Remember the slip-up Torii made when she greeted you? That is your clue."

He disappeared like Torii, leaving behind another photo and a piece of paper. I walked over and picked them up. The photo was of Umbra and Torii, both with red cheeks. For some reason, I could sense an intense emotion just by looking at the two. It wasn't exactly anger, but it was a bitter feeling. As I flipped the photo to see the back, the feeling went away, leaving a gelid sensation. Almost as if I was being frozen.

 _ **Torii Jigoku, 18  
**_ _ **Umbra Dōtoku, 17**_

"So, this was more recent. Undoubtedly before the three of us had arrived," I said to myself. I'll admit the fact that they did look adorable together, but that one emotion overrode the others. I didn't know what to call it, but I started to feel a gnawing sensation. I shook my head and read the set of words.

 _ **"She** **slowly lost her emotions."**_

It sounded oddly similar to the words written on Torii's photo. And on the piece of paper, a note was written.

" _ **The blue blade of sorrow will cut all, allowing a red river of life to flow until it dries to black."**_

I looked to my right, seeing Solis's house. Swallowing down my fear, I headed downstairs.

* * *

I was in my bedroom, feeling bitter. Why was this my only way to cry out for help? Why wasn't I happy for my brother and friend? Why did I want something that shouldn't even exist?

I looked at the photo in my hands. It was the three of us in front of the town hall, taken right after I became mayor a few months ago. I had a small smile on my face while my brother and Torii had their eyes closed, beaming with joy. I forced myself to walk to my regal table and grabbed a black marker.

' _Do it. You know you want to.'_

No. I don't want to. I couldn't a summon a reason to do it, but my arms moved on their own, uncapping the marker and scribbling Torii out, leaving me and my brother.

' _You had fallen for your brother.'_

My stomach churned in disgust at the very concept. The very idea of it was wrong on so many levels. But I developed a crush on him before he told me that we were twin siblings.

"How on earth did I forget that we were twins?"

I looked at the ruined photo and flipped it over. The words were enough to remind me of my steadily worsening disconnect.

 _ **It doesn't matter how hard you try, tomorrow is the final day of your false life.**_

My head starting to hurt, and I started to wonder if I could be saved in my current state. If I were to tell Kosei, a complete stranger, everything, would I be freed from my living nightmare?

I eyed the stained silver shovel that rested against a corner.

… Or my demons claim him as well as me?


	14. Chapter 12: A River of Life and Desire

**Chapter 12: A River of Life and Desire (Solis and Kosei)**

I waited for the front door to open, enjoying the last of my maddening silence. "Where did the red roses go?" I asked myself before being interrupted by the sound of knocking. Ah, Kosei must be here. With my photo in hand, I made my way downstairs and opened the door. Kosei simply stood there, stunned. I tilted my head, asking a silent, "What?"

"You aren't a ghost." His response took me by surprise. Did that mean that Torii and Umbra, or my perception of them, turn them into phantoms?

"Solis?" I snapped out of my thoughts and noticed it. There was something dark in his eyes in contrast to how he was before. I never met him before he and his friends arrived in my home, but I'd assumed he was like me, just not as emotionally unstable. But now, I could see that I've freed some of his darker, more instinctual demons. I was destroying him and I could only blame myself. When he eventually wakes up, those scars will remain and if he ignored them, then he'll be like me. A broken human.

WIthout even thinking, I handed the photo to him. I moved out of the way to invite him into my home. And I realized that everything I was doing right now wasn't by my own doing. I wasn't even in control of my own self anymore. As I closed the door, I kept my eyes on Kosei, who was staring at the basket of perfect apples I had on my refurbished ranch tea table.

' _What do they represent to us humans?'_

I cleared my throat and warned him, "Don't even touch them. Trust me."

Kosei glared at me, and I froze. For a moment, I thought that-

Wait.. What I was thinking about again?

' _Ah, yes.'_

I was numbly aware of the fact that I deleafed my dull, normal axe. It only had one use left, so _I_ needed to make it count. I could see Kosei back away in fear, perhaps realizing his mistake. I could hear a giggle escape my throat as I walked closer to him.

" _ **Get out! If you want to help me, Kosei, then get out! Get out of this nightmare now!"**_ I wanted to tell him, but I realized that I no longer had no control left. In the corner of my eyes, I could see the now red river flow.

 _'If we're talking about flowers, a red rose would mean longing or desire.'_

* * *

As I stepped away from Solis, I realized that there was something very wrong with her. Her giggle did indeed creep me out, but her eyes were oddly empty, like a doll. But I could see something flash in her eyes. A warning, perhaps? I tried to reach for the front door, but my body refused to respond. Probably because of what was behind her. The closest thing that I could describe it was a living shadow. I mean, it had Solis's outline like any other shadow, but it was solid. There were some thin strings coming out of it, and they wrapped themselves around Solis. Almost as if she was a puppet.

"Torii and Umbra really care for you, Solis," I blurted without thinking, "They're really worried about your obsession with dreams. Your town is really nice at its current stage. What do these towns have yours doesn't?"

Solis's grip on the axe loosened for a moment before she tightened it. She looked away from me.

 _"The dreams hold a sense of harmony that she herself cannot maintain. Her inner turmoil forced her vision of Mira to warp into a dark nightmare. One that grows stronger the more pain is inflicted onto her."_ The shadow spoke telepathically, and the listless yet cruel voice made me shudder.

 _"Eventually, I and others like me begin to exist. We're the manifestation of the darkness that had accumulated in the heart and the doubting voice of insistence. We humans naturally have doubts about the choices we-"_

A intense screech of pain reverberate in my head, making me wince. Solis was holding the broken handle of her axe, the strings dangling lifelessly from her. She was trembling.

"I can't do it… I'm no longer in control." She turned her head to look at me. The defeat in her eyes was palpable. "Kosei, you need to get to get out of this nightmare. And when you wake up, tell Luna that Mira has a Dream Severity of 5."

"What about you? I can't leave you behind with that thing."

"I've tortured you enough as it is. The longer you stay in here, the worse your situation will be. And out of everything I've done, I don't want someone who willingly chose to come here end up like me. Now get out of here! Head back to the plaza!"

As much as I wanted to listen to her, I ended up opening the door and leaving her home. She wanted me to escape.

I ran all the way to the only bridge that could bring me to the exit. Sure enough, Luna and Lloyd were there with the bed.

"Ah, my goodness! We were worried about you! Would you like to wake up?" The tapir asked, and I nodded. Before I lied down on the bed, I took one final look at Solis's house, only to realize that it was gone. As if she moved out..

"Kosei?" Luna's gaze showed concern, and I closed as my head rested on the pillow.

I waited until the usual bright light forced my eyes to open. As I sat up, I realized that my clothes were slightly damp. A cold sweat from the previous towns, without a doubt. I also had an intense headache that made me think that my brain was about to explode.

"Dream Severity 5... Mira..." I managed to mutter before I fell back down onto the bed and passing out. I vaguely aware of the sound of the door opening and many pairs of feet before feeling myself being lifted.


	15. Classified File 3: Info on Shokutaku

**Warning: The following Classified File contains information on the town Shokutaku Kosei goes through in Chapter 10.**

* * *

 ** _Containment Town Name: Shokutaku_**

 ** _Current Mayor: Hikari Akuma_**

 ** _Dream Address: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX_**

 ** _Notes: Known as the Town of Cannibals, Shokutaku is one of the more severe Containment Towns. This CT is reserved for humans that go beyond murder. As the name suggests, humans that end up in here eat not only Animals, but their own kind, as well. As unnerving as it is, but in order to satiate their disturbing appetite…_**

Luna took a breath in order to steady her nerves.

 **… _, we send corpses to the CT by train. As the Mayor, Hikari Akuma ensures that the ones in more control of their cannibalism are the ones that pick up the dead. However, there is a group of live Animals, as well as some Flawed Ones, going there during the time of typing this. It is regrettable to send these animals to a Containment Town, but there really is no other choice._**

 ** _We've had some rather close calls when we first started doing this. We still do. But it's only matter of time before a Human asks. I've heard that one of the Aika victims had asked, and subsequently, got resetted._**

"Luna? Care to explain the Scenario 9 on the Dream Severity scale?"

The tapir winced before staring at the axolotl.

"You knew about Solis's condition and the way it was worsening. Why didn't you report it? Better yet, why did you allow the residents of Seaside go there?"

"Oh, don't act like I'm the one to blame. You also consented to their journey as well."

The doctor turned away from the dream manager.

"And I regret that, even if it wasn't technically my hand. Remind me to replace Seaside's Isabelle."

"I'm sorry?" Luna was surprised at the idea. "Replace her? Wouldn't that be a bit suspicious when they return home?"

Dr. Shrunk shrugged his shoulders. "Kosei's version of Seaside wasn't tampered by Solis's DS. As such, Isabelle and the villagers are completely fine, except for Merry and Chief. We'll need to replace those two, as well. And besides, there's practically no difference between us and them. How would a human figure it out?"

"Did you forget about Umbra?"

"He knows better than to say it. And I'd assume that he'd want to talk to us both."

"I can't imagine why, doctor."


	16. Chapter 13: Dying Night

**(Note: This is not a good chapter, in my opinion.)**

 **Chapter 13: Dying Night (Solis)**

Once Kosei left my house, I looked at my shadow, which had started to spread like a stain, forcing everything to blend into nothing.

' _The color black doesn't technically exist. It's actually a very, very dark red. But, it still means death.'_

I looked around the nothingness and felt like I like floating. The last of the floor had been eaten away, leaving me in an inky abyss. I was all alone. Everything felt weightless, but I could vaguely feel some sort of weight or pressure on me, but I couldn't tell what it was.

" _So, here we are again."_ The voice spoke, but there was no way to pinpoint its source. Especially since it would've been considered my id.

" _It's a shame that you let that bug go. I was looking forward to chopping his head off and leaving him here in this world. So, why did you let him leave?"_

I was silent for a moment before responding, **"Because Kosei was right about my brother and friend. I had known that they had cared for me, but I had ignored them. That's why Kosei saw them as ghosts. He was seeing them as if he was me. And there's no doubt that he experienced my jealousy."**

Everything went silent before the voice returned.

" _You saw the damage you inflicted on his mind. You enjoyed torturing him. Don't even try to deny it."_

 **"...Admittedly, you're not wrong. But even I know when to stop such disturbing thoughts. I've taken a sibling love that I didn't know exist and twisted it into something that shouldn't even exist."**

" _And you took your jealousy out on your animals. I was hoping for Kosei to take a peek in one of the homes."_

 **"He knew better than to damage his psyche further than I had already done."**

For a moment, everything was completely quiet, before I heard something. A faint rhythmic beeping. Muffled voices. I had to strain my ears in order to properly hear them.

"She's in a very fragile state of mind. She barely has any strength left to resist its cursed temptation."

"Indeed. And who do we blame for not reporting it?"

Was that Dr. Shrunk and Luna? It sounded like the axolotl was rather upset.

"A Dream Severity of 5… I don't even know if resetting her is possible at this stage. Losing control in general is horrible. Although that might explain the recently flawed copies."

Copies? What were they talking about?

"Kosei, however, has a severity of 2, which is odd. However, this mean that his treatment wouldn't be as risky. But Solis…"

Suddenly, everything became harder to do. I already had the inability to move, but now I losing my capability to even breathe properly. I could hear a ringing in my ears. No, not ringing. It was a single, constant tone. One I've heard before only once in some movie Umbra made me watch. It happened when one's heart stopped. What was the word? Flatline?

As I was on the verge of giving to the ever increasing weight, I could barely hear the sound of footsteps and the sensation of someone grabbing my hand.

"Please… Please don't leave me, sis. As an older sibling, I was supposed to protect and yet I couldn't even do that."

"I have failed you as well, Solis. As your best friend, I didn't realize that you had grown so attached to Umbra to the point it became twisted. I should've talked to you about this, but we were both afraid of your reaction."

Torii and Umbra were worried about my reaction?

"Remember what the three of us promised? What we agreed about the concept of love?" Umbra asked.

The concept..

I felt an oddly familiar warmth and rhythmic beating of a heart. Slowly, the weight was lightening and I spoke weakly, my voice hoarse from either screaming or lack of use.

"Love can be both innocent and guilty, regardless of its type. We promised to never let ourselves be blinded by it. And yet, we broke that promise in our own ways."

I slowly opened my eyes to see my brother and best friend, both smiling weakly yet showing relief that I didn't leave them permanently.

Even so, I felt guilt wash over me when I saw Mel and Kenshin across the room, looking over their mayor, who was currently asleep. He was here because of me and the problem that had spread out beyond our control. And I tortured -willingly or not- a nice person, someone who wanted to help. And he was paying for it.

I wanted to cry, but I couldn't because I didn't have the ability.

My dark nightmare was starting to disappear, but did I cast one on the three visitors?


	17. Chapter 14: Awakening

**Chapter 14: Awakening (Mel and Kenshin)**

The four of us were outside the room, waiting impatiently for Luna to allow us inside. But the way she was reacting with Dr. Shrunk made me think that they were arguing about something. I could see Torii shaking her leg nervously while the boys were pacing back and forth. It was obvious that we were worried for our respective mayors.

"Why won't they let us in? It doesn't make any sense." Kenshin vented out his frustration, clearly not helping with the tense atmosphere.

The three hours of waiting outside was rather tense, especially since Kenshin was rather adamant of entering the Dream Suite. It took both Torii and Umbra's story to make him forget about the situation Kosei, much to his chagrin.

And it was quite a trip.

Essentially, Solis, Umbra, and Torii have known each each other for almost eight years. So naturally, romance was bound to blossom between two of them. Umbra and Torii, in this case. What they didn't expect was Solis having a crush on Umbra, her own twin brother.

When we heard that, both Kenshin and I shuddered, expressing our disgust at the very idea of someone falling in love with their own sibling.

That was when Umbra told us that for some unknown reason, he remembered that he was Solis's twin sister while Solis didn't remember at all. That made him assume that it was that particular memory, or the lack of it, that made the female twin develop a liking to the male twin.

' _But still, it's just so… wrong.'_

When Luna told us that Kosei and Solis weren't waking up, we naturally panicked and grabbed the two mayors. She told to head for the Himiko Hospital in Azuma-Kaosu City.

And that's where we were now.

So when we saw Umbra heading for the door, practically flinging it open, we thought that his impatience had gotten to him. But, seeing Torii's immediate reaction of following him had us both worried.

When our ears registered the electronically flat tone, that was when we entered the room. I had never felt such an intense sadness before. Wait.. I think I did when Taki locked my thread with his. And something told me that Kenshin felt it too, though he didn't show it. Probably because he didn't have the emotion unlocked by the doctor.

But still… It was weird.

Looking back, I didn't have time to mull over it because of the insanity going on in Mira, but now I could think.

We had seen Isabelle in Mira, Seaside, and I myself saw her in Leafside. At first, I thought that it was a popular name for her breed. But they all had a twin brother named Digby, who worked with the HHA, which was in a corner of Tom's real estate.

Everything on that alone was so disturbingly accurate that I can't even call it a coincidence. It's almost as if everything was being copy and pasted…

" _... the mayor of Mirror-, I mean Mira."_

Torii said that to us when we first stepped foot in Mira, and I couldn't blame her because the two words sounded rather close. And I did notice why she said "mirror." Despite the differences, Mira did look like a reflection of Aika Village. The bridge was in a different corner. Only Fauna lived on the side where Torii and Umbra were. The other animals were on Solis' side. A small island where you can normally access by swimming.

And I didn't want to say anything before, mostly because I was mentally exhausted, but I could've sworn that I saw two Chiefs round the corner before they noticed us and quickly turned back the way they came. And last I checked, Chief was back home.

"H-Hey, Kenshin? Can you keep an eye on Kosei for me? I need some air." I eyed the tapir and axolotl that were about to leave the room. Kenshin, luckily, noticed it and nodded. I left the room, catching up to the two.

"You two seemed a tad eager to leave the room when you didn't even tell us their conditions." I said, making them freeze up.

"Mel," Shrunk said, "I think it's best that you wait for Mayor Kosei to wake up-"

"Not until I figure out what's going on. There's something about those Dream Suites, and it most likely made my friend experience something that he shouldn't have. And it also made Solis go…" I paused, trying to think of the best words, but settled with, "Partially mad. There's also the fact that you guys had that room prepared for us. Quite in advance, might I add."

"Mel, this is the type of path you need to stay away from. Taki chose to continue, and he wanted to reset. Don't make me do the same to you."

That line made everything click in my head.

"There's more than all of you animals. And you're so similar to the very subtlest details, it's like you're clones."

The way Luna flinched proved me right, but the way the doctor blankly stared back at me was unnerving. "Mel..." The warning weighed heavily in my name. But I stood my ground, staring back. I wanted to know what was happening behind our backs, and what was going on with Kosei and Solis.

The doctor let out a sigh, signaling defeat. "Come along now, Mel." He headed down the corridor with Luna slightly behind him, leaving me to bring up the rear. The two then stopped in front of a door, that led to an office. I took a seat in the chair in front of me, suddenly nervous.

"You know of the links and the side effects of one due to Aika Village. But these empathetic links aren't the only ones that have been recorded," Shrunk said, to which I nodded at the first statement. But I tilted my head in confusion at the second.

"Any and all Dream Suite activity has been recorded. As such, we came up with scenarios so we can act accordingly. However, these scenarios are on two different scales. One deals with the Dream Severity while the other deals with a dreamer's memory."

I nodded silently. "So what would my Severity be?"

"One," Luna answered immediately, "It would be an automatic one even if you just use it just once. Some humans don't have a Severity because they either don't a suite, or they haven't used it since its opening. And because of that, their psyche and memory is unharmed.

"According to Kosei, Solis said that Mira has a Dream Severity of 5. And that alone is the worst case scenario for a dream town. But now, we need to figure out the scale of memory corruption."

"Memory…?" As this new information began to sink in, I started to feel nauseous. There was an uncomfortable pressure in my head, and it only brought more questions to life.

"That is what the other scale is for. The main scale is used to determine the severity of a dream, but there is a secondary scale dedicated for the memory of a dreamer," Shrunk added, making me tilt my head. He sighed. "Sometimes people may have a bad experience in a bad dream for their own reasons. Like the main scale, you have an automatic 1 on the secondary scale. This means that you memory is, for the most part, intact. From what Luna has seen when Kosei woke up, he seemed normal despite his lack of mental strength. We're expecting him to have an MC of 3, at least."

I had to cradle my head because the pressure was making me light-headed.

"What does..." I couldn't even voice out my next question completely.

"MC stands for Memory Corruption. The scale also has five scenarios, however they're not as easily determined."

* * *

It's been almost twenty minutes, and I was getting worried about Mel. There was no doubt that she was beginning to question things, but still…

"What are you thinking, Kenshin?" I was snapped out of my thoughts by Kosei's voice, He had woken up and was starting to sit up. I was to tell him that he shouldn't strain himself when he said, "I'm fine, Kenshin. I don't know why, but I feel like that wasn't the worst thing I've gone through."

"Um, Kenshin? Kosei?" We both looked at Torii, her hands behind her back, looking down at the floor for a few moments before looking at us. "I want to apologize for tricking you into thinking that I was the mayor of Mira. At the time, that was the only way Umbra and I could think of to bring you guys here."

Torii took a moment to pause before continuing. "At the time I wrote that letter, Solis was going to the Suite two, sometimes three, times a week. It was almost like seeing someone slowly drive themselves insane, and we were powerless to stop her. We lived in her town, so she was in charge. We didn't want to run the risk of being kicked out. Call us weak, but we wanted to stay with her. We wanted to help her, but we didn't know how without making her shutting us out or setting off her worsening temper."

I looked at Solis, who was silently appreciating her brother's presence, and I could tell that Umbra was doing the same. As her eyes locked onto mine, the guilt was seen clearly, as if it had been burned into them. She closed them, allowing herself to cry. At first, I thought of them as crocodile tears. But the intense guilt made me think otherwise. And yet, there was that sense of dread again. The guilt felt genuinely painful, but it was also too much for what she had done to Kosei, Umbra, and Torii. What else could be she guilty about?

* * *

"Memory Corruption…" I breathed, trying to wrap my head around the very idea. Our memories can be corrupted.

"Yes. This negatively affects a human's perception of their lives. As of right now, we don't completely know the full extent of this. The brain is a rather complicated organ, after all."

'Aside from the heart,' I thought but didn't voice it.

Luna continued, "The signs of corruption is normally a change in their behavior, but the true damage can be seen in a Dream Town. When Kosei wakes up, we'll have to ask him about the state of Dreamy Mira. After that-"

The tapir was interrupted by a knock on the door. The three looked at the girl who stood at the doorway. She looked around eight or nine years old, wearing a preppy school uniform and a pair of mary janes. Her light green hair was in pigtails, and her blue eyes were unreadable.

"Oh, sorry. Was I interrupting something? If I am, I can come back," the girl quickly walked back the way she came.

"What's the worst-case scenario for…" I asked, my mind practically swimming in confusion.

"The most severe case that we've documented had some changes to the villagers. We had to use a moderately potent Reset Potion to help both the traveler and the mayor. If Solis's MC is worse than that…"

I couldn't take it anymore. My head was on the verge of bursting, and this information was making me question the Dream Suite's safety. Kosei was here because of Solis, who herself wasn't in the best mental state.

"Dear?"

I could hear Luna ask, out of concern for my own mental state. I shook her head weakly, trying not to cry. The two seemed to know what I wanted, because I felt the prick of a needle before everything went to black.

* * *

"Oh, hi, Solis." A green-haired little girl entered our room, and I saw Kosei stiffen up just a bit.

"Arisu?" He asked, which left me confused. The girl looked at him, surprise evident on her face.

"How… do you know my name?" She asked, to which my friend replied with, "I met you in Dreamy Kyōki."

The way the little girl's face blanched had me worried for a moment. "I-I should get going… I was just here, looking for some antidote." She blatantly lied before speed walking out of the room.

A few minutes later, Luna, Shrunk, and Mel returned, but she showed signs of being reset. She must've asked for it. I looked away, completely guilty. I myself know some of the secrets the animals kept hidden, and it hurts not being able to tell them.

"Okay, Kosei, would you like to describe the events while you were in the Dream World?" Luna prompted, a clipboard in one paw and a pen in the other.

Kosei nodded, and shakily began, his nervousness slowly leaving. As his words painted the images in my head, I looked at Solis with the coldest glare. Her fingers twitched, proving that she was affected by it since her face refused to express it. It was almost like she went completely numb to my anger. She was planning something, but I couldn't figure out what it was.


	18. Chapter 15: Farewell, Mira

**Chapter 15: Farewell Mira (Omnipotent)**

Solis looked away from the doctor, who was glaring at the mayor.

"You're quite lucky that Kosei got a two on both scales. He was close to getting a three on the corruption scale."

Solis nodded, acting like a little kid who was silently listening to a parent's scolding.

"You, on the other hand, have a five on both scales. You're officially the most severe case on this," the axolotl let out a sigh of regret. "We're going to relocate you to Kyōki."

At this, the mayor looked up with confusion.

"It's clear that you won't recover from this naturally. Your addiction to dreams has taken control of you."

Green eyes narrowed imperceptibly. " _ **If I had a weapon, I would go for you. But then, everyone would know about their Shrunk, and quickly realize about their own animals. Although, that does sound like something entertaining to watch."**_ The dream addict said in Japanese as her eyes showed a morbid fascination for something that could seriously destroy the sometimes stable cohesion of humans and animals.

"That is exactly what I meant. I may not have understood what you said, but I know a little bit to know that you need to be in a Containment Town." The doctor was frustrated, and didn't like transferring a human to a CT, but for the society that he, and the others, worked so hard for-

"I want a reset. I want my town removed." Solis asserted, making the axolotl look at the partially mad mayor with shock. Her report showed that that she never liked the idea of resetting, hence the lack of a Reset Center. Which was quite ironic, to be honest. The purpose of the Center was to prevent resets, after all.

"If Mira stays, all it will do is fester on the wounds that I made on both species. Even now, I wonder who was the one that instigated the attack. It could've been me, Torii, or Umbra since the animals were caught in it.

"However, by completely resetting my memory and abandoning Mira, I can turn over a new leaf," Solis chuckled at the last bit before continuing, "And Torii and Umbra can be together without my interference. I was the youngest out of the three of us. I ruined a lot of things for them. And if there is any worth in the entirety of Mira, then I want it to be split between the two of them. That is all I ask."

Doctor Shrunk stayed completely silent as the young adult mayor finally vented and voiced her requests. A bit lengthy, in his honest opinion, but he tried to see it in her eyes.

A sister that had fallen in love with her brother, who had a crush on their best friend. He could see why other humans could have a horrible reaction to that. He presumed that the animals would be a bit more mixed.

A sister who had a sibling love and twisted it, making it distort into something that shouldn't be. And she wasn't able to understand why she wasn't getting any headway until he told the truth, that they were related. To someone who didn't understand the situation completely, they would've thought Solis was, well, a creep. However, in a way, she had a right to love, much to one's chagrin. Comparing their memories side by side, the fact that they were related was the culprit. Umbra Dōtoku remembered that he and Solis were siblings, while she did not for unknown reasons.

And because of the sudden news, she thought the Dream Suite could provide an escape, regardless of how brief it would be. Over the course of a few weeks, however, her memories slowly became corrupted, and it showed in Mira's dreamy state. Even the animals of her town were ruined in some sort of way. Which was why Shokutaku was getting an slight influx of live Animals, much to the doctor's dismay.

Every town had a chance of sharing at least one animal with another. At first, the method wasn't really needed, considering how few humans were actually recovered from the other world. Even now, over a decade later, there weren't that many humans, but there was enough to recognize the issue of a lack of animals. So they began to work on a system that would, essentially, clone an animal, down to the exact detail. Their gender, personality, and speech patterns were perfectly copied. And what better way to ensure that everything goes smoothly than the Dream Suite. Each animal had a code associated to them. The first half indicated the personality, and the other was for the species. For humans like Mel and Kenshin, who had an MC of 1, they would see the name of the animal on the wooden post in front of their homes. For the humans in a Containment Town, and Solis, they would see a string of letters and numbers that the original animal was assigned before being cloned.

"Before I grant this, can Umbra and Torii talk to you about this? They should know."

Dull green eyes looked at the doctor tiredly before their owner slowly nodded.

…

"What?" Torii was understandably upset at Solis's idea of abandoning Mira. Umbra, on the other hand, was silent, understanding. They were twins, after all. In his head, a twisted thought entered his head, making him sick.

' _It's like I'm the control, and she's the experiment. And as far as I know, we're the only twins here.'_ He shook his head, wanting to shoo the thought away as if it were a nuisance.

His silence made Torii realize that he was siding with his sister. The saddest part was the fact that, internally, she agreed as well. It was a hesitant unanimous decision.

That was when Umbra made his way to his sister's side, and hugged her time one final time before she was going to reset. Before Mira's existence was wiped away from her memory. Before he and Torii leave her for good. The doctor said that they weren't going to taunt fate after this reset.

Okay, maybe not exactly in those words, but it was practically the equivalent to them.

Completely stunned, Solis simply allowed her brother to hug her before she slowly wrapped her around him, returning the gesture and allowing tears to fall. She whispered something in her original language, something that her brother understood since they both spoke it. Which meant that Torii could very easily be lied to.

"I promise, sister." Umbra said, letting her go. As he and Torii exited her now empty room, she let a faint smirk appear on her face, twisting her weary expression into one of mischief.

' _ **Blue is also an elusive color for roses. Normally understood as sorrow, but it is our morals and choices that allow everything to appear.'**_

...

Outside her room and heading to the hospital entrance, Torii and Umbra walked in silence until the blonde asked, "What did she say to you? You know that I can't understand you both completely, what with that weird language you two share. And apparently, so does Kosei and Kenshin." There was suspicion in her voice, but Umbra quickly answered, sounding perfectly fine to her ears.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence that those two guys can understand Solis and I." His lie came out just as he thought it would, easily tossing her that suspicion, but there was the matter what Solis had whispered to him.

"Solis said that she hopes that we'd take care of each other while she's somewhere else in this world."

Torii nodded, accepting the lie as if it were true. It hurt Umbra's heart to lie to her. He loved her, after all. But, in order to carry out his sister's plan, he had to. Her delayed reaction to his hug proved something he had thought of before, but with the dream addiction going on, it was lower on his list of priorities.

But now… He had plenty of time to think.

She didn't care about the consequences of exposing the clones, nor did she originally care about Kosei's mental state of being.

And yet, she expressed her remorse and guilt of doing so. However, he did note how odd it was to see it in her eyes. Perhaps it was genuine, but there was a chance of it being of a perfectly timed ruse.

 ** _"Let's tempt fate, brother." _**Was what Solis had said in his ear.

He looked back, hesitant on his part before he steeled his nerves and continued walking in order to catch up to Torii, who was already at the automatic doors.


	19. Classified File 4: Mira's Final Res(e)t

_No one will ever know of this. How we were linked together. If anything, they wouldn't even realize until the other was affected. But who's the one that started it?*_

Umbra started at the note in his hands before putting it in the envelope and headed for Mira's post office. "Can you deliver to Dr. Shrunk at Hana Valley, please? On March 24. Yes, I am sure." A bit of irritation leaked out of his voice.

Once the pelican before him took the letter, he swiftly exited the building and headed to the station. Torii was still at the city waiting, and it hurt him that he couldn't tell her. The sprinklers in his greenhouse always went off at four in the morning. Since he was going to leave for good, he turned them off. At least, that was what he should've done.

Seeing the partially wet pave stones around the tree, he felt a foreign joy go through him and saw the train coming out of the tunnel. As the doors opened, he stepped inside and took a window seat that had a view of Mira. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, and once again felt that foreign emotion. He should be feeling guilty. So why wasn't he?

When he woke up, he saw a cat that looked vaguely familiar, but couldn't remember where exactly. When asked where he was going to, Umbra said, "Astuce."

"Oh, really? I know someone that just headed there this morning. She's the mayor."

* * *

 ***This is referring to the notes that Windryder1 has compiled for "Nightmare of Aika" on their Deviantart.**

 **Only one chapter remains.**


	20. Finale: Akaku Somatta Ha

**Chapter 16: Akaku somatta ha (Leaves Dyed Red)**

The next morning, the news quickly spread of Mira's burning. The previous human residents were not in town. No one knows what had caused it. Only half of the animals had survived since they were the closest to the slopes that led to the longer stretch of beach. Hopper, in particular, used the river to his advantage to get down faster. None of them know what had happened but had noticed the roaring and bright light that the flames gave off.

Unfortunately, the other animals weren't so lucky. However, the most curious thing is that their bodies were never found once the fire was out, which was another thing to note. It was oddly controlled for something that came out of nowhere. By the time any help had arrived, the fire was starting to die out, but some noticed that it ended on the hill that led to the Campground. Many theorize that whoever had started to put out the fire then had done it to collect the missing bodies.

"And in other news, the-" The radio was shut off, cutting whatever the animal reporter was going to say.

"Interesting, yet so full of crap," a young woman said, grumbling under her breath. Looking at her oneirology textbook, she rolled her emerald colored eyes, choosing to put off her reading for today. She had just gotten here in Astuce, and right now, she needed to work on getting a house. She could only handle the tent and cardboard mailbox for so long.

Speaking of which, she exited her tent to check on it, and was surprised to find two letters.

The first one held a picture of her and a boy smiling, their eyes showing their happiness. She flipped it over to see:

 _ **Solis Dōtoku and her twin brother, Umbra Dōtoku**_

The name sounded vaguely familiar to her, but any attempt of trying to remember was the equivalent of walking through a thick fog in the dark. Meaning it was almost impossible.

The other envelope held a letter that had some red stains, something that Solis wisely chose to ignore. Some words had the impression of taking more effort into appearing, as evidenced by the ink that bled through the unclean paper. It came with a picture of a boy who looked to be around her age, if not younger. His hair reminded her of normal apples. His clothes were clean, which stood out against the unclean surroundings. He also looked vaguely familiar. She read the letter.

 _Dear Mayor Solis,_

 _I hope you're doing well in your new town. Arisu and I were quite worried about you when she had overheard that you had been chosen to reset. You wouldn't remember this, obviously, because that's the point of a reset. Anyways, I got side-tracked. But yeah, we took care of one of your little… issues today. It was a bit troublesome, but we did it. I hope that the three of us can talk face-to-face someday. Until then._

 _-From Mayor Hikari Akuma_

So that was his name. Although that was third time…

She looked at the textbook, which was another gift that someone had given her. Like the previous two pieces of mail, this came with a picture, but it was a little girl, who was definitely the youngest, judging by her youthful appearance. She wore a school uniform, and a pair of mary janes. Her light green hair was in pigtails, and her blue eyes reminded Solis of pools of pure, clean water. And yet, her smile was broken, showing a pain that only people like her would understand. On the back, there was a name: Arisu Genki. The contents of the letter was simply explaining the book. Solis was very much confused as her now clean mind was trying to recall memories that no longer existed. But these three people were drawing a blank, no pun intended. Keeping her eyes on the book, she set her mail aside in a corner of her temporary tent, and slowly made her way to it. She had to look up what oneirology was, and apparently, it was the study of dreams.

' _Dreams, eh?'_ There was something about the mind and the very concept of dreams that sparked a curiosity in her heart.

Oh, well. Maybe she'll consider it. But first, to build her new home up. It didn't matter what ground it was on, it was a part of her, and she would consider it a lifetime project. And in a way, it would eventually be the perfect mask to hide both within and behind.

* * *

 **Thank you guys for reading this. I am proud of this little project of mine. I plan of showing both Hikari and Arisu in their towns separately soon.**

 **Once again, I would like to thank Windryder1 for letting me use her humans of Seaside in my story, as well as some other things from her town. I guess this is a decent way to end this gift.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
